Tubular structures and knurling systems and methods of manufacture and use thereof
AssigneeDeflecto, LLC
InventorRoman Sindelar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method includes: bending a sheet about a mandrel such that the sheet is tubular, wherein the sheet includes a first longitudinal end portion and a second longitudinal end portion; engaging the first longitudinal end portion with the second longitudinal end portion; and passing the sheet between a first knurling wheel and a second knurling wheel such that the first knurling wheel applies a first knurling pattern to the sheet over the first longitudinal end portion and the second longitudinal end portion and the second knurling wheel applies a second knurling pattern to the sheet over the first longitudinal end portion and the second longitudinal end portion.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- bending a sheet about a mandrel such that the sheet is tubular, wherein the sheet includes a first longitudinal end portion and a second longitudinal end portion;
- interlocking the first longitudinal end portion with the second longitudinal end portion over the mandrel;
- and
- passing the sheet between a plurality of knurling wheels such that the sheet is knurled, wherein the mandrel hosts one of the knurling wheels.
A system comprising:
- a mandrel;
- a pair of arms;
- a first knurling wheel;
- and
- a second knurling wheel,
- wherein the pair of arms are configured to bend a sheet with a first longitudinal end portion and a second longitudinal end portion about the mandrel such that the sheet is tubular and such that the first longitudinal end portion can engage with the second longitudinal end portion, and
- wherein the first knurling wheel and the second knurling wheel are configured to receive the sheet therebetween such that the first knurling wheel applies a first knurling pattern to the sheet over the first longitudinal end portion and the second longitudinal end portion and the second knurling wheel applies a second knurling pattern to the sheet over the first longitudinal end portion and the second longitudinal end portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.